The Marriage and Family Therapy program welcomes Dr. Dale Bertram as a Full Professor beginning in the Fall 2012 semester. Dr. Bertram received his Ph.D. in Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern in 1995. He also holds an M.Ed. in General Counseling from Albertson College of Idaho, an MA in Religion from Eastern New Mexico University, and a BA with a double major in Religion and Communication from Eastern New Mexico University. Dr. Bertram holds MFT licenses in Kentucky, Alabama, and Ohio. He is a Clinical Member and an Approved Supervisor with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

Dr. Bertram most recently served as Dean of the School of Human Services and Program Director for the MFT PhD program at Amridge University in Montgomery, AL. He has previously held faculty positions at Southern Christian University, University of Louisville, and Louisville Bible College. In addition to his academic positions, Dr. Bertram has held a number of clinical positions and been involved in successful private practices.

Dr. Bertram’s primary research interest focuses on the rhetorical aspects of family therapy, and he has published several articles in this area. They include “Joining With All Members of a Family System: The Rhetoric of Antilogic in Family Therapy Dialogue” and “Rhetorical Theory and Family Therapy Practice” both published in Contemporary Family Therapy and “Missing Links: The Enthymeme and its Utility in Systemic Family Therapy Dialogue,” published in Family Process. In addition to these publications, Dr. Bertram has presented his work at numerous conferences, regularly providing workshops and seminars on topics related to ethics, supervision, and Ericksonian therapy.

Dr. Bertram has been highly active at the national level, serving on several committees with the AAMFT. He currently serves as the Chair of the COAMFTE Standards Review Committee and a member of the Approved Supervisor Handbook Review Task Force. Dr. Bertram serves regularly as a COAMFTE Site Visitor and has chaired 21 site visits.

Dr. Bertram’s varied professional experiences will be extremely beneficial as both a colleague and a professor in ACU’s MFT program. We are excited that he has chosen to join our faculty and look forward to our partnership.

Congratualtions on your new position and I am sure ACU gets what an asset they have just secured. The gifts and talents you bring to the MFT field, and now to the students and faculty at ACU, are a blessing. Enjoy your new position and God bless.